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HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


















































































































J* 


“They Danced and Sang like a Tot of Merry Savages 



HALFWA DOZEN 


TH INKIN' 




"/ « 

RY E LEONARD 


AUTHOR Op 

■?7“the story of 

TFJE BIG FRONT 
DOOR” 



NEW YORK 

THOMAS Y. CROWELL &C° 

PUBLISHERS 


24212 





Library of Congress 

Two Copies Received 

JUL 2< 1900 

right entry 

2 

mmk 

SECOND COPY. 

Delivered to 

ORDER DIVISION, 

AUG„JL_iaflO_ 



Copyright, 1900, by 

THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO. 


66840 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

I. — How the Neighborhood Felt, 1 

II. — Cousin Prue, 9 

III. — The Fall of Jericho, 15 

IV. — Thinking Caps, 25 

Y. — The Professor, 35 

YI.— The Great Pyramid, 44 

VII. — Flowers and Weeds, 50 

VIII. — How the Thinking Caps Helped, . . .56 

IX. — The Bachelor, 66 

X. — The Neighborhood Opinion Again, . . 74 





HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


CHAPTER FIRST. 

HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD FELT. 

They made such a charming picture on the wide 
porch where they sat with their heads close together 
that Miss Mallory, who was walking up from the 
station with her bag in her hand, wished for her 
camera. 

Not being certain of her way she approached the 
group and asked to be directed to Mrs. Brent’s. 
Six pairs of eyes, counting those of an alert fox ter- 
rier, were immediately turned upon her, and a sweet- 
looking girl about ten years old, in a crisp white 
frock and blue ribbons, rose and replied in a dignified 
manner that Mrs. Brent lived on the next street. 

“ It’s a red house ; you can see the back of it from 
here,” put in a boy who closely resembled Blue 
Kibbons and might have been a year older. 


2 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

“ And it has a rose vine on the porch,” added a 
smiling little maid who sat in a big rocking chair. 

“ But so has Mrs. May’s, Susan ; why don’t you 
let Mary Hyacinth tell her? ” said a boy who wore 
glasses. 

“It is the second house from the corner,” the first 
speaker began, when a sailor boy with short yellow 
curls and the rosiest, merriest of faces stepped for- 
ward: “I’ll show you the way,” he said. 

Miss Mallory was not one to decline an offer so 
cordially made, and no doubt she felt flattered to 
have an escort with U. S. N. on his cap, for she 
said, with a very pleasant smile: “Will you? I 
shall be so much obliged.” 

The eyes, ears and tail of the terrier asked as 
plainly as possible, “Do let me go, too,” and at the 
words, “Come on, Pranks,” he frisked down the 
steps with a bark of delight. 

“Don’t stay, Malcolm,” Blue Ribbons called after 
them; “you know mother said you mustn’t go to 
Mrs. Brent’s.” 

“Perhaps then you’d better not go any farther 
than the corner,” Miss Mallory suggested. 

“She won’t care if I don’t go in. Mrs. Brent 
doesn’t like me,” Malcolm explained, looking up 


HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD FELT. 3 

at his companion with a face of such angelic sweet- 
ness she found the statement hard to believe. 

“What can be the reason? ” she asked.. 

“ ’Cause I tease Oscar. He’s a cry-baby, and he’s 
’fraid of cows and lots of things — and he’s older 
’an me — an’ he has long curls ! ” 

Miss Mallory smiled a little as she asked: “How 
old are you? ” 

“ I’m six, going on seven, and I’m going to sure- 
enough school next winter. No more kindergarten 
for me!” ^ 

Just here Pranks, who had been trotting sedately 
beside them, suddenly charged across the lawn and 
began to bark furiously at a stupid-looking pug who 
reposed peacefully on the doorstep of the house they 
were passing. An old gentleman, who sat there 
reading his paper, rapped violently with his cane 
and cried: “Call off your dog, sir! call off your 
dog, and don’t come in here ! ” 

Pranks, however, came scampering back without 
waiting to be called, with the air of having done 
something worthy of praise. 

“He likes to scare old Snuffy,” Malcolm said with 
a chuckle. 

“ I wonder if you aren’t the little boy I used to 


4 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

know three years ago? You lived in the city then 
and had long curls and wore white kilts, and they 
called you Bunny,” said Miss Mallory. 

“Why, yes, did you know me then? I was just 
a baby ; I don’t have long hair now, and next sum- 
mer I’m going to have it cut with a machine, father 
says so. Wliy, when it’s hot, Oscar has his pinned 
up like a lady ! ” 

By this time they had turned the corner and Mrs. 
Brent, who was standing in her door, saw them and 
came hurrying to meet them. 

“ Prudence ! ” she exclaimed, greeting the young 
lady warmly, “ you should have let us know what 
car you would take.” 

“ I didn’t know myself ; and I had no trouble in 
finding my way, for Malcolm kindly offered to show 
me.” 

Mrs. Brent spoke to Malcolm and asked how his 
mother was, but Miss Mallory noticed her tone was 
cold. 

“Thank you ever so much, dear,” she said, taking 
the bag her guide had insisted upon carrying. “ I 
hope you and I will become well acquainted one of 
these days. Tell your mother Cousin Prue is here 
and will come to see her to-morrow.” 


HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD FELT. 5 

Malcolm wished just a little, as he and Pranks 
turned back, that he had not quarrelled with Oscar 
yesterday, for probably they would tell her all about 
it. He had taken a sudden liking to this tall bright- 
faced young lady, and when he looked over his 
shoulder and saw her with her arm around Oscar, 
he did not f$el quite happy. “Cousin Prue,” he 
repeated, “ I wonder if she is my Cousin Prue ? ” 

Meanwhile Mrs. Brent was showing her guest to 
her room. 

“So you have made Malcolm’s acquaintance?” 
she remarked. 

“ Yes ; and what a dear little soul he is ! but he 
says you don’t like him,” Miss Mallory replied. 

“Well, seriously, Prudence, those McLean chil- 
dren are dreadful ! I can’t keep Oscar away from 
them, and they torment him nearly to death. I am 
beginning to wonder how we shall live through the 
summer, for, as perhaps you know, their father and 
mother are going abroad. It is bad enough when 
they are at home.” 

“ You can’t mean those charming children I saw 
on the porch. They didn’t look as if they could 
be naughty ! ” exclaimed Miss Mallory. 

“Yes, they do very well so far as looks go, but 


6 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

just wait,” and Mrs. Brent closed her lips tightly, 
as much as to say she could tell a great deal if she 
chose. 

“ Who was the tall, serious little girl who seemed 
to be spokesman? You know I have not seen the 
children for more than three years.” 

“ It must have been Mary Hyacinth ; she is the 
ring-leader in all the mischief, though Wyllis is a 
year older. Then probably the two Scotts were 
there, Arthur and Susan, the children of Mr. Mc- 
Lean’s sister,” Mrs. Brent replied, adding: “Just 
think, Prudence, of their throwing mud — it was 
Malcolm who did it, but the others put him up to 
it — on the Hollands’ porch after it had been cleaned ! 
Then when Thomas, the man, complained to Mr. 
McLean, Wyllis turned the hose on him; and I 
shall get Morris to tell you about last Fourth of 
July ! When I was a child I wasn’t so bad, I am 
sure,” she concluded with a deep sigh. 

Miss Mallory soon found that these naughty chil- 
dren furnished a topic of conversation as unfailing 
as the weather to the neighborhood of Hill Top. 
Several callers dropped in after tea, and they vied 
with each other in telling of their pranks. 

“I believe, after all, the Hollands have suffered 


HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD FELT. 7 

more than the rest of us,” said Miss Gardner, one of 
the guests. 

“I don’t know,” Mrs. Brent replied, “I thought I 
had about the worst of it when they painted Oscar 
sky blue. It took me a week to get it off.” 

“But don’t you remember the Hollands’ door 
bell ? ” Miss Gardner continued. “ It was an elec- 
tric bell, Miss Mallory, with a handle you pulled 
down in order to ring it. Well, these imps devised 
the plan of tying a weight to it, causing the bell to 
ring furiously till some one came and released it. 
After this had happened a number of times, they 
had a button put in instead of the handle, and then 
the children discovered that pressing back the button 
and sticking in a pin or tack answered just as well.” 

“What was the end of it?” Miss Mallory 
asked. 

“ Mr. McLean was appealed to, but by that time 
they were tired of it themselves and began to think 
of something else. Their latest performance was 
ornamenting our stone walks with drawings in col- 
ored chalk.” 

“I’m afraid Oscar had a hand in that,” sighed 
Mrs. Brent. 

“ On last Fourth of July I thought they would 


8 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

certainly kill themselves and perhaps all the rest 
of us,” said Mr. Brent. 

“I don’t know, of course, hut I do not believe 
they are as bad as you think they are,” Miss Mal- 
lory said, after listening to these and many other 
stories of the same kind. “They evidently love 
excitement, and I fancy they have been aggravated 
in some way, and like young savages they enjoy a 
little vengeance.” 

Miss Mallory spoke so earnestly that Mr. Brent 
laughed. “Now, Prue, what do you know about 
children, shut up for four years in college?” he 
asked. 

“ I don’t pretend to know much, but I have an 
excellent memory, and I recall the days when I 
was a young savage myself, and I know I was not 
as bad as some people thought me,” was her reply. 


* 


CHAPTEE SECOND. 

COUSIN PRUE. 

Hill Top was a pretty little suburb overlooking 
from its breezy height the great smoky city with its 
noisy factories and busy wharves. On all sides 
there were charming views of hills and valley and 
the broad winding river. The houses — there were 
not more than a dozen — stood well apart in the 
midst of smooth lawns, which with the fine old forest 
trees and the flowers and the absence of fences gave 
the place a park-like appearance. The electric cars 
that whizzed up and down the hill every half hour, 
and the passing of an occasional grocery wagon or 
carriage, made just enough noise to remind you how 
quiet it was. 

Truly it was a pleasant place to live in, Miss 
Mallory thought, as she walked over to the Mc- 
Leans’ the next morning; and yet if all she had 
heard were true, half a dozen naughty children 
quite spoiled its peace and beauty. 


10 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

Miss Mallory herself looked as fresh and bright 
as the morning, and though her face wore a thought- 
ful expression, as if she were trying to make up her 
mind about something, she had also an air of cheer- 
ful determination that said she would be equal to 
anything she might undertake. 

Old Mr. Holland, who sat on his porch with his 
stout stick and his wheezy old pug beside him, won- 
dered who this fine-looking young woman could be, 
while she couldn’t help smiling a little at his grim 
appearance. 

The children were playing quoits on the lawn, a 
game Pranks enjoyed as much as anybody, for he 
ran back and forth and barked with delight when- 
ever the ring touched the stake. He and Malcolm 
spied Miss Mallory at the same moment, and came 
racing to meet her, followed presently by the 
others. 

“ Mother said to bring you to her as soon as you 
came,” Mary Hyacinth said. 

“And she says you are our cousin,” Malcolm 
added. 

“Why, certainly I am, and after I’ve had a little 
visit with her I’d like to play a game with you; 
may I? * 


COUSIN PRUE. 


11 


Of course she might ! A new playfellow was al- 
ways welcome, and a charming, grown-up young 
lady like this was not often to he had. 

Mary conducted Miss Mallory to her mother, a 
sweet, delicate-looking woman, who had been an 
invalid for two years, and who greeted the visitor 
with : “ I am so glad to see you, Prue, and I hope 
you are going to do what I wish ! ” 

Mary wanted to stay and hear what it was her 
mother wished, but Mrs. McLean sent her away. 
The visit lasted till the lunch bell rang, and the 
children, who had been hovering anxiously about 
for two hours, were inclined to be indignant till 
they found Cousin Prue was to stay to lunch. 
When that was over, they took possession of her. 
The five — for Arthur and Susan Scott were as usual 
with their cousins — escorted her over the place, all 
talking at once, and so fast it is a wonder she had 
anything but a hopeless jumble of ideas in her 
head. She took a lively interest in all their pets : 
the pigeons, the little chickens, the solemn Maltese 
cat, and, best of all, the pony. She liked all sorts 
of games, and could play tennis and basket-ball, 
and could row and swim. The boys began to look 
upon her with immense respect, and Mary and 


12 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


Susan decided that they would be exactly like her 
when they were young ladies. 

When they had shown her everything they could 
think of, they seated themselves in a sociable group 
under the Ginckgo tree to cool off and talk. 

“ What were you all so interested in with your 
heads close together as I came up from the station 
yesterday? ” Miss Mallory asked. 

Mary, who sat facing her, looked embarrassed, 
but Malcolm answered promptly: “Mary Hyacinth 
was telling us about a lady who is coming to take 
care of us while mother and father are away.” 

“I wasn’t at all, Malcolm; I don’t know any- 
thing about her. Mother just said she had asked 
somebody,” said his sister. 

“You said you knew she wouldn’t be nice, and 
that you weren’t going to mind her,” said Susan. 

“Yes, you did,” insisted Malcolm. 

“And you said ” chimed in Wyllis, who was 

a tease and couldn’t resist the temptation to annoy 
Mary; but Cousin Prue came to the rescue. 

“Never mind,” she said. “Do you know I have 
been talking to your mother about this very per- 
son?” 

“Do you know her? ” asked Susan. 


COUSIN PRUE. 


13 


“Very well, indeed, and I think perhaps you will 
like her. At any rate it will make your mother 
feel more comfortable about you to have her here, 
and I am sure you’ll be glad of that.” 

“But we don’t need any one beside Miss Janet,” 
insisted Mary. Now Miss Janet was the house- 
keeper and the person who, of all others, most 
spoiled these five children. 

“And it is sure to be somebody who says ‘ Don’t,’ 
and ‘ You mustn’t do that; it isn’t proper,’ from 
morning till night,” said Wyllis. 

“That will depend on how you behave, I should 
say,” replied Miss Mallory. 

“Do you suppose she would tell us stories some- 
times, or read to us ? ” Malcolm asked anxiously. 

Cousin Prue, regardless of the fact that he was 
such a big boy, kissed the rosy cheek so near her, 
as she answered: “Yes, indeed; she loves stories 
herself and likes to tell them.” 

“Cousin Prue ! is it you? Was that what mamma 
meant? Oh, do say it is ! do say it is ! ” cried Mary 
in sudden excitement, that spread in an instant to 
the others. 

“I am considering it,” said Miss Mallory, “but I 
must warn you that I am a very stern person. 


14 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

Though I appear amiable, I am dreadful when I’m 
roused. Cousin Mary wrote and asked me if I 
would come and stay with you, hut I was not will- 
ing to decide till I had seen you and you had seen 
me, for if we could not begin by liking each other, 
it would not do at all. So if I come, it will be be- 
cause you want me.” 

“Indeed we do, Cousin Prue,” cried Mary. 

“It will be awfully jolly,” said Wyllis. 

“And we’ll be good, indeed we will; won’t we, 
Arthur?” Susan added; while Malcolm patted his 
new cousin’s hand and looked up in her face with 
a beaming smile. “Indeed we will,” he echoed. 

“Why, there is Oscar,” said Cousin Prue, seeing 
a melancholy little figure on the sidewalk. “Sup- 
pose we ask him in ? ” 

“I’m mad at him,” Malcolm objected. 

“But Oscar is a friend of mine,” said Miss Mal- 
lory, “and if I’m to stay here I’d like the privilege 
of seeing my friends.” 

This settled it. 

“ Hello, Oscar ! come in here ! ” called Malcolm, 
and Oscar came with a radiant face. 


CHAPTER THIRD. 


THE FALL OF JERICHO. 

Great was everybody’s surprise when it became 
known that Miss Mallory was going to stay with 
the McLean children through the summer. 

"Some one ought to tell her,” old Mr. Holland 
exclaimed when Miss Gardner came over with the 
news. 

" She has been told, but she refuses to believe ; I 
suppose she thinks we have dreamed it all,” replied 
the lady. 

"Prudence can manage them if anyone can,” said 
Mr. Brent. 

Within two weeks it was settled; Miss Mallory 
was installed, Mr. and Mrs. Scott went away with 
the McLeans, and Susan and Arthur came to stay 
with their cousins. The children were in a gale of 
delight over the arrangement and promised again 
and again to be good, and for several days this prom- 
ise was kept. Cousin Prue made herself their com- 


16 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

panion; walked and drove and played games with 
them, told stories and read to them, and keeping 
her eyes and ears open meanwhile she learned a 
great deal about them. She discovered that the 
reason the children had so great a dislike for Thomas, 
the Hollands’ man-servant, was because he had once 
thrown a stone at Pranks, which had cut his leg and 
lamed him badly for a time. Dear little Pranks, 
with his funny ways and kind merry eyes — who 
blamed his playfellows for resenting it? But of 
course it did not excuse their throwing mud on the 
clean porch. 

They were truthful and affectionate, but their 
overflowing life and energy made them only too 
ready to carry out the many daring suggestions sup- 
plied by Mary’s busy brain. Poor little Oscar, who 
was a delicate child with not half the endurance of 
sturdy Malcolm, was their faithful follower, some- 
times petted but oftener teased and imposed upon, 
and almost certain to come to grief in their mis- 
chief. However, as a friend of Cousin Prue’s, he 
found himself treated with a new consideration. 
He was no longer left to lag farther and farther 
behind when in some long walk his short legs grew 
tired; there was a kind hand ready to help him 


THE FALL OF JERICHO. 


17 


now, and some one to propose a rest and to make it 
delightful with a story. Oscar was happy as a lark. 

But pleasant weather can’t last forever, and so 
one morning they woke to find the rain coming 
steadily down in a way that meant business, Miss 
Janet said. It happened unfortunately that the 
evening before a cousin of Mr. McLean’s had ar- 
rived to spend a few days. She was a nervous, 
fussy person and an incessant talker, and Miss 
Mallory was obliged to devote herself to her enter- 
tainment, leaving the children to their own devices. 

They did very well for a while, but their interest 
in quiet indoor games was exhausted before lunch 
time, and they began to be so very noisy on the 
porch just outside the window of the library, where 
Miss Mallory and Mrs. Campbell were sitting, that 
the former had to ask them to go upstairs to play 
where they would not annoy the visitor. 

“I know something lovely to play,” Mary ex- 
claimed, as they lingered in the hall after lunch 
was over. Oscar had arrived a few minutes before, 
having been so lonely and unhappy all morning 
that his mother sent him over in the carriage. 

“ Well, what is it? ” Wyllis asked. 

“Never mind, it will be splendid fun and we’ll 
2 


18 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

play it in the nursery, and you must find everything 
you can think of that will make a noise,” was 
Mary’s reply. 

“I thought Cousin Prue said we mustn’t make 
any noise,” said Arthur. 

“Oh, she just meant down here,” answered his 
sister, anxious not to have the fim interrupted. 

“ Anything that would make a noise ” certainly 
had an interesting sound, so away they scampered 
to the nursery where Mary unfolded her plan. It 
was to he the fall of Jericho, the story of which 
they had had for a Sunday-school lesson a few 
weeks before. 

“ Don’t you remember how they marched around 
the city once a day for six days, and then on the 
seventh day marched around seven times, and the 
seventh time they shouted and blew trumpets and 
the walls fell down? ” 

“ But what are you going to have for the wall ? ” 
asked the others. 

“I’ll show you,” said Mary; “just come up to the 
lumber room.” They followed obediently and she 
gave her orders like a general. 

“ Wyllis, you and Arthur take these curtain frames 
down, and then find all the tin tubs and basins you 


THE FALL OF JERICHO. 


19 


can; and Malcolm and Oscar can take those,” point- 
ing to two brass coal buckets stored away for the 
summer. “Susan, you bring that box of pebbles, 
and we must find all the checkers and dominoes, 
and — oh, yes, Malcolm, you ask Tina to let you 
have the clothespins, theyTl rattle beautifully.” 

Eeally, there seemed to he no end to the things 
that would make a noise ; something new continu- 
ally suggested itself until they had a wonderful 
collection. 

“What do you want, dear?” Cousin Prue asked 
Malcolm, who came softly into the library. 

“Just the checker board,” was the reply, and she 
gave it to him, remarking that checkers was a nice 
game for a rainy day. 

It was at least an hour — and they worked like 
beavers — before the wall, as Mary called it, was 
complete. The curtain frames were supported on 
the backs of chairs, and across them were placed 
the tin bath tubs, in which were all sorts of rattling 
things; across these, again, were placed waiters and 
pans, likewise filled. As the building went on the 
children grew very much interested and excited, 
and several times their enthusiasm came near up- 
setting it too soon. 


20 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

“I can’t think of another thing,” Wyllis said, as 
he carefully deposited a pair of tongs on the very top. 

“It will do now,” Mary answered, surveying it 
with pride, adding, “and, remember, when we have 
gone around the last time, you and Arthur are to 
pull the frames out so the things will fall.” 

Some minutes later Miss Janet, on her way down 
stairs, glanced in at the nursery door. The six 
children, led by Mary, were marching solemnly 
around a curious looking structure in the middle of 
the room ; some of them carried horns, Malcolm had 
a drum, and Arthur a tin pan and a hammer, but 
they were as quiet as mice, and Pranks sat looking 
on as if he did not understand this singular game. 
Miss Janet stopped at the library door to tell Miss 
Prue the children were playing like lambs. 

The words were hardly out of her mouth when 
there arose a terrible din, such as none of them had 
ever before heard. There was a crash and a clatter, 
a blowing of horns, a pounding of drums and tin 
pans, a screaming and barking that was altogether 
bewildering and terrifying. The visitor was fright- 
ened into hysterics. Leaving her to Miss Janet’s 
care, Miss Mallory rushed upstairs, followed by 
Tina, the housemaid. 


THE FALL OF JERICHO. 


21 


The children were dancing and shouting like sav- 
ages, and the room was strewn from one end to the 
other with the wreck of their wall. So great was 
the excitement, no one had noticed that Oscar’s 
screams were from pain. 

In some way he had been struck by one of the 
frames, and the pins had made an ugly cut on the 
side of his face. 

Cousin Prue’s appearance caused a sudden lull, 
though she said not a single word as she rescued a 
chair from the ruins, and sitting down, took Oscar 
on her lap; then she asked for hot water and a 
sponge. 

Under the soothing power of the warm water and 
the soft voice his crying soon ceased. The others 
stood around in a somewhat embarrassed silence. 

“I didn’t know he was hurt,” Mary said in an 
aggrieved tone, as if some one had been scolding 
her. 

“I am awfully sorry, Oscar,” added Susan. 

“Does it hurt? ” inquired Malcolm. 

“Yes, it does,” said Oscar, beginning to cry again. 

“I told Mary you said not to make a noise,” Ar- 
thur remarked with an air of great virtue. 

“She said downstairs; didn’t you, Cousin Prue? 


22 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

And any way, you made as much as anybody,” Mary 
retorted. 

“I’ll tell you what I believe I’ll do, Oscar,” said 
Miss Mallory, in a cheerful tone, glancing toward 
the window; “it isn’t raining now, so suppose you 
and I take the next car and go down to Dr. Kich- 
ardson’s office and get him to put a plaster on your 
cut. I haven’t any of the right kind, but he will 
do it up nicely for us, and mamma will not know 
anything about it until it is all done.” 

“ Let me go with you, Cousin Prue ? ” Malcolm 
ventured to ask. 

“No, I thank you; I think it will take all of you 
all the rest of the afternoon to get these things put 
away,” was her reply. 

They looked at each other doubtfully after she 
had gone. 

“ Do you think she is mad ? ” asked Arthur. 

“Don’t care if she is,” said Wyllis. 

“We haven’t done anything; Oscar is always 
getting hurt,” added Susan. 

“And I am not going to pick up all these things 
either,” declared Mary, and at this Susan dropped 
the handful of clothespins she had gathered. Mal- 
colm, however, kept steadily on putting away the 


THE FALL OF JERICHO. 23 

checkers and dominoes. He felt sure Cousin Prue 
was displeased with them, and though he was not 
quite certain why, he meant to do his part toward 
restoring order, since she evidently expected it. 

He worked away with a very sober face, and as 
it did not seem fair to let him do it alone, the oth- 
ers presently began to help ; and after a while Tina 
came and lent a hand, groaning over the dents and 
scratches on her brass buckets. 

Miss Janet was trying meanwhile to soothe Mrs. 
Campbell's wounded feelings, for no sooner had the 
lady recovered sufficiently from her fright to under- 
stand the cause of the noise than her indignation 
rose. She took it as a personal affront, and in high 
dudgeon insisted upon leaving at once. 

The sun was setting in a glory of rose color 
and gold when the tea-bell rang; the storm was 
over. The children came in, looking subdued and 
casting questioning glances toward Miss Mallory, 
who sat very erect behind the tea things. Mary 
unconsciously straightened herself in her chair, and 
Wyllis, who in a moment of forgetfulness, had put 
his elbows on the table, quickly removed them. No 
one spoke for a few minutes, then Malcolm said : “ I 
picked some Susan-eyed daisies for you, Cousin Prue, 


24 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

but Mary said you wouldn’t want them,” and he 
smiled at her appealingly. 

“Thank you; I shall be very glad to have them. 
What did you say they were ? ” she asked with an 
answering smile. 

“He means Black-eyed Susans,” Wyllis explained 
with an elder brother’s scorn. 

“Susan’s eyes are black,” said Malcolm, looking 
at her critically from across the table. 

“ So they are, and it is really a very nice name for 
the daisies,” said Cousin Prue. 

“I wish she would say something, and not just 
look at us in that funny way,” Mary said to Susan 
as they were getting ready for bed that night. 

Down in the library Cousin Prue was sitting 
alone, thinking. For a long time she looked 
straight before her without moving, then, just as 
the clock struck ten, she exclaimed half aloud: “I 
believe it is the very thing! I’ll try it! ” 


CHAPTER FOURTH. 


THINKING CAPS. 

On the next day each of the children received a 
note addressed and sealed. They were all alike and 
read: “You are invited to be present at a meeting 
to be held under the sycamore tree in the Green lot 
to-morrow morning at ten o’clock, for the purpose 
of forming a T. C. Circle.” This was all, but of 
course Cousin Prue must have written them, they 
were sure of that. When they asked her, however, 
though she did not deny it, she would not give any 
explanation, only saying they must wait till to- 
morrow. 

The Green lot might have had its name from the 
luxuriant growth of grass and weeds that struggled 
together for possession of it, but the real reason was 
that it was owned by a Mr. Green, who intended 
some day to build there. It had been fenced about 
in a careless fashion that kept no one out who 
wished to get in, and when the children grew tired 


26 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

of smooth lawns and stone walks, here was a de- 
lightful playground. 

Under a picturesque old sycamore that grew on 
the brow of the hill, where the ground sloped gently 
away to the south and the lovely view of valley and 
river stretched into the distance, there was a shady 
spot perfectly adapted to story telling and quiet 
games ; here the meeting was to be held. 

For some unknown reason they overslept them- 
selves next morning, and when they came down 
stairs Cousin Prue had had her breakfast and gone — 
to the city, Tina thought. 

“ Gone to the city ! ” cried Mary. 

“She must have forgotten,” said Susan. 

“ That would be too mean after telling us to meet 
her in the Green lot,” Wyllis added. 

“ Cousin Prue doesn’t forget things ; I know she’ll 
come,” and loyal Malcolm buttered his cornbread 
contentedly. 

“She will come back on the ten o’clock car, I 
guess,” said Arthur, and as this seemed quite likely, 
they ate their breakfast cheerfully and then went 
out on the porch to wait for her. Wyllis suggested* 
going to the sycamore tree at once, but Mary Hy- 
acinth frowned upon the proposal. “What’s the 


THINKING CAPS. 


27 


use ? ” she asked, swinging back and forth in the 
hammock. “ I’d rather wait here and go with Cousin 
Prue.” 

A few minutes before ten Susan and the boys ran 
off to the back gallery, from one corner of which 
the car could be plainly seen just before it reached 
the station. At length came the buzzing, grating 
sound as it climbed the steep grade ; but alas ! no 
Cousin Prue was to be seen, only two men and a 
stout woman with a market basket. 

“It is just as mean!” they cried, running back 
to Mary; all but Malcolm, who sat on the steps 
thinking, with Pranks beside him. His faith in 
Cousin Prue was strong ; she always did what she 
said she would, and it was very unlike her to ask 
them to meet her, and then forget it. 

He believed he’d go any way, but without telling 
the others, who would certainly laugh at him. 

The children on the front porch grew more and 
more indignant as time passed and no Cousin Prue. 
When the clock struck half-past ten, Wyllis sug- 
gested again that they go to the meeting place any 
way, and the others agreed for lack of anything else 
to do. 

“ I wonder where Malcolm is ? ” said Mary ; but 


28 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


as he did not answer their calls they started off 
without him. 

They had not far to go ; just down the street to 
where the stone walk ended, then along a well-trod- 
den path to a fence corner, through which they 
squeezed themselves. When presently they came 
within sight of the sycamore tree, two heads were 
visible above the slope of the hill ; one of them wore 
Malcolm’s straw hat, the other such a peculiar black 
cap that they did not at first recognize Cousin Prue. 

“ Why didn’t you tell us ? ” 

“Tina said you had gone to the city, and we 
waited and waited ! ” 

“How did Malcolm know? And how did you get 
here ? ” 

The two serene individuals, who appeared to be 
having an exceedingly good time, gazed at these 
breathless questioners with calm surprise. 

“I don’t understand; but you are very late. It is 
twenty-five minutes of eleven,” Miss Mallory said, 
looking at her watch. “ It seems Malcolm is the 
only one who can be depended on to keep an ap- 
pointment.” 

“ But, Cousin Prue, Tina said you had gone to the 
city, and we waited and waited and you weren’t on 


THINKING CAPS. 29 

the car, so we thought you had forgotten,” Mary 
explained. 

“I was anxious to keep my appointment, and 
knowing a short cut I took it,” was Miss Mallory’s 
answer. 

“ I know ! ” cried Arthur ; “ you got off at Pine- 
wood and walked up ; I never thought of that. ” 

“You jumped to a conclusion of your own, and 
it didn’t occur to you that I really meant what I 
said when I asked you to meet me here.” 

At this the children looked disconsolate, for evi- 
dently they had offended Cousin Prue again. 

Miss Mallory surveyed the sober faces for a mo- 
ment, then one of those merry smiles that seemed 
made of equal parts of sweetness and mischief light- 
ened her face. “Children,” she began, “we do want 
to have a good time together this summer, don’t 
we? ” 

Five heads nodded emphatically, and a relieved 
expression took the place of the disconsolate one. 

“But,” she continued, “I have come to the con- 
clusion that in order to have a really good time we 
shall have to have a T. C. Circle. T. C. stands for 
Thinking Cap, and I went down to the city to get 
mine — my college cap — to show you. People never 


30 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

amount to anything until they learn to use their 
thinking caps properly, and unfortunately a great 
many persons never do. They even go through col- 
lege without learning, and the result is they are a 
nuisance to their friends all their lives. 

“ Now, I have noticed that you don’t use yours very 
well, and I am sure you could have much more fun 
if you did, so it occurred to me that we might start 
a little society, and have a motto, perhaps, and wear 
caps instead of badges. This sort of cap does as 
well for a boy as a girl.” 

“I’d like that,” said Susan. “Mother belongs to 
a society, and she has a badge, a gold pin with 
letters on it.” 

“But, Cousin Prue, I do think of a great many 
things,” Mary said in an aggrieved tone. 

“You mean a great many ideas come into your 
head; but that is not the sort of thinking I mean. 
Even Pranks thinks in that way.” 

At the sound of his name Pranks got up and 
walking round the circle sat down beside Miss Mal- 
lory, wagging his tail and looking very wise, as if 
trying to make her illustration as impressive as 
possible. 

“Pranksie knows a lot,” said Wyllis. 


THINKING CAPS. 


31 


“ But you will agree with me that more should be 
expected of his two-legged friends, won’t you? ” and 
Cousin Prue patted the smooth head so prettily 
marked in brown and black. 

“If you decide to have a Thinking Cap Circle,” 
she continued, “we might take for our motto, ‘ Fore- 
thought and fun.’ You know there are two kinds of 
fun, one that is harmless and delightful, and another 
that always brings discomfort, perhaps even suffer- 
ing, to somebody. Now, members of the T. C. Circle 
cannot have anything to do with this last kind of 
fun, if they are true to their motto. Do you know 
what forethought is ? ” 

“ Is it thinking before ? ” asked Arthur. 

“Yes, it means stopping to think, each for him- 
self, before rushing into all sorts of mischief just 
because some one proposes it.” 

“ You can’t have a bit of fun if you have to stop 
and think,” Mary objected. 

“Do you really mean you can’t have a good time 
without annoying some one else ? ” 

“Why, Cousin Prue! ” they all exclaimed, for this 
was putting it rather strong, and Mary added, “I 
suppose you are thinking about the fall of Jericho, 
but I didn’t know Oscar would get in the way, 


32 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


and you only said not to make a noise down 
stairs. ” 

“But if you had stopped to think I am sure you 
would have known that a noise like that was out of 
the question in the house, particularly when we had 
a visitor, and you wouldn’t have taken those brass 
buckets, and you would have been more careful of 
little Oscar. He is not nearly so strong as the rest 
of you, and has been made a baby of at home, and 
I am sure you believe that it is the part of the 
strong to look out for the weak. Fortunately, he 
was not so badly hurt as I feared, and he was very 
brave about it. I wish there was some way in which 
we could make his mother believe that nothing like 
this will happen again. I feel very uncomfortable 
about it.” 

“Why, it wasn’t your fault, Cousin Prue,” said 
Mary. 

“Yes, you see I am in a manner responsible for 
you now; at least that is the way other people look 
at it,” she answered. 

This was a new idea ; Mary looked sober, for she 
had decided views of what she called fairness. 

“Of course,” Miss Mallory continued, “I do not 
believe you really wish to be unkind and rude, and 


THINKING CAPS. 


33 


for that reason I think yon will like my Thinking 
Cap Circle.” 

As they talked it over they all came to this con- 
clusion too. They decided to call themselves the 
T. C.s, and not tell the name, and to have weekly 
meetings, under the sycamore when the weather was 
good, and upon these occasions they would all wear 
caps which Cousin Prue promised to provide. The 
color of these was an important matter; the boys 
voted for red, the girls for blue, and with Miss Mal- 
lory’s vote this made a tie. Then Malcolm came 
over to that side, and the blues had it. 

When the business part of the meeting was over, 
Cousin Prue brought out some sponge cakes and 
sweet chocolate for refreshments, and as they lay on 
the grass and looked out on the river, where busy 
ferryboats plied to and fro, and long trains puffed 
back and forth across the high bridge — but all too 
far away to disturb the quiet — and overhead the 
great white clouds floated in the deep summer blue, 
making soft moving shadows over the sunny fields, 
something of the beauty of stillness stole into their 
hearts. Then Miss Mallory told them a story — a 
very old story — about a king who went on a 

journey to a far country, leaving his kingdom in 

3 


34 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


charge of his servants. It suggested something to 
Mary. 

“ Let’s pretend that father and mother are a king 
and queen, and have gone away and leftj us to take 
v care of things for them,” she said. 

“That is a beautiful idea, and it is true, too,” re- 
plied Cousin Prue, “and in that case the work of 
our Thinking Cap Circle will he to take charge of 
the affairs of our kingdom and see that it is ruled 
in the best possible way.” 


CHAPTER FIFTH. 


THE PROFESSOR. 

"What do you suppose those children are up to 
now ? ” Miss Gardner stood at her corner window, 
from which she had an extended view down the 
street in the direction’ of the Green lot. 

Her mother, looking over her shoulder, beheld six 
sedate young persons marching in single file, Mary 
Hyacinth at the head and Oscar bringing up the 
rear, each wearing a blue cap of the mortar board 
variety, with a jaunty tassel falling over the crown. 

"I wonder how Miss Mallory is enjoying herself. 
Really, I think the children have been more quiet 
lately,” said Mrs. Gardner. 

“They have done nothing worth mentioning ex- 
cept half kill Oscar Brent; I wonder his mother 
allows him to be with them,” was Miss Gardner’s 
reply. 

There were some things this lady did not know, 
and one was that after the first meeting of the 
Thinking Cap Circle Mary Hyacinth had gone to 


36 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


Mrs. Brent and asked lier to let Oscar play with 
them again. 

“ We are sorry he got hurt, and we are going to he 
more careful after this; and it wasn’t Cousin Prue’s 
fault at all, because she was in the library and did 
not know what we were doing.” 

Mrs. Brent was very much surprised, but accepted 
the apology graciously. 

“I wasn’t going to have her blaming Cousin 
Prue,” Mary explained to the others, who were wait- 
ing for her around the corner. 

“ It is nonsense ; how could she be blamed ? ” said 
Wyllis. 

“That is the way people do, though,” put in Ar- 
thur with a wise air. “I heard Mrs. Holland tell 
Mrs. Gardner that she didn’t think much of your 
mother, after Malcolm threw mud on their clean 
porch.” 

“ I guess she meant your mother didn’t know how 
to bring you up,” Susan added. 

“I don’t care,” exclaimed Wyllis, but he did not 
look as if he liked it exactly, and Mary walked home 
with a very grave face. 

So the delighted Oscar became a member of the 
T. C. Circle. 


THE PROFESSOR. 


37 


About five minutes after the children had passed, 
Miss Mallory herself went by, carrying her camera 
and wearing a blue cap exactly like the others. She 
smiled and nodded to old Mr. Holland, and asked 
about his rheumatism in a neighborly way, and as 
she walked on with her light step and the smile 
still on her face, Mrs. Gardner could have no reason 
for thinking she was not enjoying herself. 

Under the sycamore tree the children were 
grouped around the seat of honor, a large straw 
cushion, which awaited Cousin Prue. 

“How dear you all look in your caps,” she said, 
surveying the bright faces. 

“ And so do you ! ” they replied with one voice. 

“And now,” she said, taking possession of the 
straw cushion, “we have two important matters to 
attend to this afternoon. First you are to have 
your pictures taken, and then we must decide how 
we shall celebrate the Fourth of July, which comes 
next week.” 

Cousin Prue had chosen a sunny spot on the hill- 
side and grouped them to her satisfaction when 
Pranks’ absence was discovered, and Malcolm re- 
membered that he had been shut in the carriage 
house for barking at the laundry man in an un- 


38 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

seemly way. Now, a picture without Pranks was 
not to be thought of, so he and Oscar went back 
to release him. 

When the little boys reached the house, they 
found Professor Ellis sitting on a bench on the lawn 
reading a book. It happened that this bench had 
been freshly painted that morning and put out in 
the sun to dry quickly, Miss Janet never for a 
moment thinking any one was likely to sit on it; 
but now that the shadow of the house had reached 
it, and a pleasant breeze played about it, the pro- 
fessor found it inviting. 

“ How are you, Malcolm ? ” he said, closing his 
book. He was a friend of Mr. McLean’s and well 
acquainted with the children. 

Malcolm looked very intently at him as he re- 
plied, “I’m well; father has gone to Europe.” 

“ So I heard ; is no one else at home ? ” 

“No, mother has gone too, and Miss Janet has 
gone to town, and there is no one here but Lucinda, 
and I ’spect she is asleep.” 

“Is Miss Mallory out, too?” asked the pro- 
fessor. 

“Why, do you know Cousin Prue? She’s over in 
the Green lot; we are having a meeting there. I 


THE PROFESSOR. 39 

guess that paint is sticky yet,” Malcolm fdded 
thoughtfully. 

Professor Ellis rose hurriedly. “I fear it is,” he 
exclaimed, twisting his neck in an effort to see his 
back. 

Malcolm walked around him. “There’s some on 
your trousers and a lot on your coat ; isn’t there, 
Oscar ? ” he remarked consolingly. 

“I wonder if you have any turpentine,” said the 
professor. 

“ Is it something in a bottle ? ” Malcolm asked, 
after a moment’s thought. 

“Yes; it is a liquid.” 

“I thought that was whiskey,” exclaimed the 
child. 

“No, no; you must be thinking of liquor,” an- 
swered the professor smiling. 

“Miss Janet has lots of things in her medicine 
chest, and one day when I got some paint on my 
coat she rubbed it off with something out of a 
bottle. ” 

“Malcolm, I know!” cried Oscar, “it was Dr. 
Warren.” 

“Why, so it was! I’ll get it. You just come 
with me, Professor Ellis,” and Malcolm led the way 


40 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


with Oscar, followed by the amused gentleman who 
wondered who or what Dr. Warren might be. 

Leaving him on the kitchen porch with the as- 
tonished Lucinda, who was dozing there over her 
knitting, Malcolm ran off, returning presently with 
a large bottle, which, sure enough, was half full of 
turpentine. 

With Lucinda’s help the paint was soon removed 
and then the professor wanted to know why they 
called the bottle Dr. Warren. 

Oscar looked very much abashed, and Malcolm 
said, “You’ll laugh at us if we tell you.” 

The professor insisted that he would not, and so 
the children were persuaded to explain that they 
were in the habit of playing Sunday-school with 
the bottles in Miss Janet’s medicine closet. 

“You know they do look like people with hats 
on,” Malcolm said, “and so we name them, and we 
call that one Dr. Warren because it is so fat.” 

Professor Ellis found it rather hard to keep his 
promise not to laugh, for he knew Dr. Warren and 
saw the resemblance, but he managed to put on a 
very grave face as he said : “ I think that must be 
a most interesting game, and I am very greatly 
obliged to you and Dr. Warren. And now, don’t 


THE PROFESSOR. 


41 


you think you could let me come to your meeting ? ” 

The children did not know what to say to this, 
but it seemed inhospitable to leave him alone there 
to wait for his car, so Malcolm said : “ Well, you 
can come, and if Cousin Prue lets you, you can 
stay. ” 

Miss Mallory and the other children were begin- 
ning to wonder what could have happened to the 
little boys, when Pranks came scampering across 
the grass, beside himself with joy at being released, 
and not far behind were his three companions. 

Cousin Prue was very much surprised to see the 
professor, but she gave him a cordial greeting, and 
no one seemed to think of objecting to his staying. 
This was probably because he began at once to make 
himself useful. He took the picture for them so 
that Cousin Prue could be in it, and when this was 
done he took his place in the circle quite as if he 
belonged there and owned a blue cap. 

“Now, if the meeting is in order, we’ll proceed 
to discuss how we shall celebrate the Fourth,” said 
Miss Mallory. 

“ Last year we had cannon crackers, and packs and 
packs of the others, and rockets, and Eoman candles, 
and lots of things,” put in Wyllis. 


42 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

“ And Arthur had a toy cannon and burned himself 
with the powder, so papa said he couldn’t have it 
any more,” added Susan. 

“I know a boy who had two fingers blown off! ” 
exclaimed Malcolm excitedly. 

“Pooh! there isn’t a bit of danger if you are 
careful; I’m not afraid,” said Mary. 

“Don’t you think for variety we might celebrate 
in a different way this year?” Cousin Prue sug- 
gested. 

“There isn’t any other way,” insisted Wyllis. 

“Does any one know a reason why we should not 
have a noisy Fourth? ” There was a dead silence as 
Cousin Prue looked around the circle. 

“I think you do know,” she continued, “that Mrs. 
Morris is very sick. It may be hard for you to 
understand, but noise hurts her more than a switch 
would hurt you if I struck you with it. Now, I do 
not think you could enjoy your Fourth if you knew 
it was torturing some one else; but I leave it with 
you to decide whether or not we shall try to have 
a quiet day.” 

“ I suppose we must, but it will be too stupid ! ” 
cried Mary with a woe-begone face. 

“Do you know,” began the professor, “it is really 


THE PROFESSOR. 


43 


becoming a serious question in the minds of many 
persons how to put a stop to the damage done every 
year by Fourth of July celebrations. I don’t know 
how many cases of lockjaw they had at the city 
hospital last year as a result of accidents on that 
day. I don’t think the T. C. Circle could do better 
than start a reform, and if you’ll let me help, I 
think I know of a gorgeous plan, — the very next 
thing to a big noise.” 

Unless he was a most hard-hearted individual the 
professor must have felt rewarded by the grateful 
glance Cousin Prue bestowed upon him. 

The children of course were eager to hear what he 
considered the next best thing to a big noise, and 
listened like mice while he explained, and certainly 
it did sound interesting. 

“Do you really think we can do it?” Miss Mal- 
lory asked ; adding : “ Then, children, let’s keep it a 
secret and surprise the neighborhood ! ” 

They all clapped their hands at this and went 
home as gay as larks, and the professor stayed to tea. 


CHAPTER SIXTH. 


THE GREAT PYRAMID. 

“You are invited by the T. C. Circle of Hill Top 

To be present at an exhibition of the Great Pyramid 
on Reservoir Hill 

Soon after sundown, on July the Fourth.” 

These invitations, each ornamented with a tiny 
flag, were sent to all their neighbors in Hill Top, 
and to a few of their city friends. 

Of course there was much curiosity as to what 
this Great Pyramid might be, but the children kept 
the secret well, and only Mr. Brent, who was to 
help the professor, knew anything about it. 

“ If I could have just one cannon cracker I don’t 
believe I should mind,” said Wyllis. 

It was the day before the Fourth, and they were 
getting their decorations ready, and while Cousin 
Prue was busy in the house, they were on the back 
porch putting candles in the lanterns. 

“It is going to be lovely, and I don’t mind a bit,” 
answered Susan. 


THE GREAT PYRAMID. 


45 


“Well,” said Mary, snipping off a piece of wire, 
“I am willing to try it because I said I would. 
What I like about Cousin Prue is that she doesn’t 
say we must do things, but let’s us decide ourselves.” 

“You’d feel pretty mean if you didn’t do what 
she wanted you to,” Arthur remarked. 

“When Cousin Prue tells us we mustn’t do any- 
thing, she always tells us something we may do,” 
added Wyllis. “She doesn’t just say ‘don’t.’” 

Old Mr. Holland, out for his morning walk, met 
Miss Mallory returning from Mrs. Brent’s. 

“What’s all this nonsense about the Great Pyr- 
amid ? ” he inquired. 

“That is a secret; you must come and see,” she 
replied. 

“Those children came near killing me last year, 
and I don’t intend to stand it again,” he continued 
grimly. 

“ You needn’t be afraid, for we are going to try a 
new way of celebrating the Fourth,” Miss Mallory 
said smiling. 

“Well, I guess if you have anything to do with 
it, it is pretty sure to be a good way,” the old man 
remarked; and coming from Mr. Holland this was 
a great compliment.. 


46 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

In spite of some gray clouds the evening before, 
the morning of the Fourth was delightfully bright 
and clear, and also delightfully quiet, some persons 
thought. It would of course be too much to say 
that the children did not regret their firecrackers. 
Now and then a distant boom from the city re- 
minded them of what they were missing ; but they 
were too busy helping to hang lanterns and flags, 
and racing over to Reservoir Hill, where the professor 
was putting the finishing touches to the pyramid, 
to think much about it. 

Reservoir Hill, which was only a small mound, 
was all that was left of a reservoir begun years be- 
fore and then abandoned for a better site, and as it 
was about a quarter of a mile from any of the houses 
of Hill Top, had been chosen by the professor for 
their celebration. 

The McLeans’ lawn presented a festive appear- 
ance when about five o’clock the guests from the 
city arrived. Flags were flying, the trees and 
porches were hung with Japanese lanterns, and the 
T. C.s resplendent in costumes of red, white and 
blue. 

They played all sorts of games, in which Cousin 
Prue and the professor joined with as much spirit 


THE GREAT PYRAMID. 


47 


as if they were only ten years old themselves ; and 
then Miss Janet gave them the nicest sort of a little 
supper. After this they marched all over Hill Top 
with their flags and lanterns, ending at Reservoir 
Hill, where a number of persons had already assem- 
bled to look at the pyramid. 

It was built of barrels of all sizes, beginning at 
the bottom with hogsheads and ending with lard 
kegs, and from the very top waved a flag. 

“Is that all? ” said one little girl; “I don’t think 
it is very pretty,” but later on she changed her 
mind. 

There were benches and camp stools for the grown 
people, and the children sat on the grass or ran about 
as they pleased. As it was not quite dark yet, the 
professor made a little speech while they waited, 
explaining why the T. C. Circle had decided to have 
a quiet Fourth. He told how many accidents re- 
sulted every year from Fourth of July celebrations, 
and how sick people everywhere suffered from the 
noise. Just across the river, he said, there lived a 
little boy who a year ago had been so badly hurt by 
an explosion that he had not been able to walk 
since. This boy had been told about the pyramid, 
and was watching for it. 


48 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


While he talked the stars began to come out, and 
then little tongues of flame began to creep around 
the big hogsheads, and they grew and grew, and 
rose higher and higher, until they were like great 
wings of fire that could be seen for miles around. 
As the flames crackled and roared and reached up 
toward the brave little flag at the top, the children 
decided it was better than a hundred rockets, and 
taking hands they danced and sang like a lot of 
merry savages. It was an exciting moment when 
at last the flag went down. Even the grown people 
agreed that it was the finest bonfire they had ever 
seen, and the children refused to leave till every 
spark was out. The rockets and Eoman candles 
sent up by some of the neighbors later in the even- 
ing really seemed quite tame. 

“Well, Mary,” said Professor Ellis as he was leav- 
ing, “do you think it was almost as good as a big 
noise ? ” 

“It has been the nicest Fourth we ever had,” she 
exclaimed. 

The next day the T. C. Circle received a note 
from Mr. Morris thanking them for not making a 
noise on the Fourth, and saying his wife had been 
able to enjoy the bonfire from her window. 


THE GREAT PYRAMID. 49 

"I don’t think we ought to be thanked when we 
had such a good time ourselves,” Mary said. 

"Still you were willing to give up what you 
thought would give you the most pleasure,” an- 
swered Cousin Prue. 

"I think we ought to thank Professor Ellis,” 
Wyllis said. 

“Why, we did, last night,” replied Arthur. 

"But I mean write him a note or something.” 

"Let’s make him an honorary member of the 
Circle,” Miss Mallory suggested. 

This idea pleased them all, and not long after, the 
professor found a very elegant note in his mail, com- 
posed by the Circle, and written by Wyllis, inform- 
ing him that he had been made an honorary mem- 
ber of the Thinking Cap Circle. 

4 


CHAPTER SEVENTH. 


FLOWEKS AND WEEDS. 

One Sunday morning they sat with Cousin Prue 
under the sycamore tree. It was too warm to go to 
the city to church, so they were having a little ser- 
vice of their own on the hillside. After they had 
each said a Bible verse, Cousin Prue told them the 
story of the Sower who went forth to sow; and as 
they looked down on the sunny fields and the shin- 
ing river it seemed quite real; they could almost 
see the little boat on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus 
sat and talked to the people gathered on the shore. 

“By the good ground,” she said, “He meant hon- 
est and good hearts that take care of the little seeds 
of truth, and do not let unkind, unlovely thoughts 
choke them.” 

Malcolm looked as if he did not understand, so 
she continued: 

“Don’t you know that good thoughts are like 
flower seeds, that, if they have a chance, will grow 
and bloom ? Suppose the thought that because God 


FLOWERS AND WEEDS. 


51 


is good to us we ought to be good to each other, 
comes into our hearts, and after it has been planted 
a little weed named selfishness begins to grow be- 
side it, and we say : * But I can’t have a good time 
myself if I have to think about other people.’ Or 
perhaps it is the weed of anger that tries to choke 
it, and we say : ‘ That person isn’t kind to me, so 
I won’t be kind to him.’ Now if we pull up these 
ugly weeds by the roots and go on trying to be kind, 
the thought of love grows stronger and stronger till 
it blooms in all kinds of lovely ways, and the weeds 
have no longer any power over it.” 

Malcolm smiled as if the idea pleased him, and 
Mary said, “I never thought of that.” 

“You know,” Miss Mallory went on, “nothing is 
so important as our thoughts. There is a proverb 
in the Bible which says, ‘As he thinketh in his 
heart, so is he.’ If we think kind, sweet, earnest 
thoughts, we shall be kind, sweet, earnest people. 
You see it brings us back to our thinking caps. 
And there is one thing we must remember: it is 
God who gives us right thoughts. He is the head 
gardener, and we take care of our little garden plots 
for Him.” 

At this moment Pranks pricked up his ears and 


52 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

sat very erect, as if lie heard something interesting 
in the distance, and in another second away he 
rushed through the trees. By this time the sound 
of growling and yelping had reached the ears of the 
children, who with one accord ran after him, fol- 
lowed more slowly by Miss Mallory. 

Down in a little ravine in the hillside not far 
away, poor Snuff, who was taking a quiet stroll, had 
been attacked by an ugly yellow cur, and being too 
fat and wheezy to defend himself, was having a very 
bad time. He must have thought, if he thought at 
all, that the game was up when Pranks came rush- 
ing in. But though Pranks delighted in teasing the 
old pug, he was not one to fail a neighbor in time 
of need; beside this, he knew the yellow dog to be 
an ungentlemanly cur, and he charged upon him so 
fiercely and unexpectedly that when the children 
appeared the enemy was almost routed. 

Poor old Snuff was pretty well used up, and lay 
wheezing and panting, quite unable to walk, while 
Pranks was in such a state of excitement he had to 
be held to keep him from following the retreating 
foe down the hill. 

“ Poor old Snuff ! what shall we do with him ? ” 
asked Miss Mallory. 


FLOWERS AND WEEDS. 


53 


“Let’s put him on the straw cushion and take 
him home that way. We can pretend he is a 
wounded soldier,” Mary proposed, and as nobody 
thought of a better plan, they proceeded to carry 
it out. 

It was a funny procession, headed by Wyllis and 
Arthur bearing the pug on the cushion between 
them, and Pranks, the hero of the occasion, still 
bristling with excitement, tightly clasped under 
Malcolm’s arm. 

“ What have you done to my dog ? ” old Mr. Hol- 
land demanded, coming down the walk to meet 
them. 

Miss Mallory explained, while the boys carefully 
deposited Snuff on the door mat. 

“ Well, I declare ! ” he said, adding as if some- 
what embarrassed at the turn affairs had taken, 
“I’m much obliged to you, children.” 

Malcolm was not going to have his pet over- 
looked, so he said with a very red face : “ It was 
Pranks, Mr. Holland; he fought for Snuff, and I 
guess they’ve made up now, so please don’t let 
Thomas throw any more stones at him. That was 
why I put mud on your porch, but I won’t do it 


agam. 


54 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

The old gentleman eyed him fiercely from under 
his bushy eyebrows. “ Is that so ? ” he said. “ Well, 
Thomas shall not throw any more stones, and per- 
haps we might agree to call it even ; what do you 
say?” 

“I think,” remarked Miss Mallory as they went 
home, “that a little seed of kindness has been 
planted to-day, and all through Pranks, too. Sup- 
pose we try to keep it alive and help it grow.” 

“Do you mean we ought to be nice to Mr. Hol- 
land ? ” asked Susan. 

“He is such a cross old man, Cousin Prue,” said 
Mary. 

“ To be sure he does seem cross, but no doubt it is 
partly his rheumatism, so let’s try being friendly,” 
she replied. 

The idea pleased Malcolm, who was a genial little 
soul, and that evening, without saying anything to 
anybody, he and Pranks went over to inquire for 
Snuff. 

Mr. Holland saw them coming, and was just 
about to rap with his cane from force of habit, when 
he remembered the agreement. 

“Pranks and I want to know how Snuff is,” 
announced Malcolm. 


FLOWERS AND WEEDS. 


55 


“ I guess he is doing pretty well ; won’t you sit 
down ? ” 

Malcolm accepted the invitation, and crossing his 
knees entered into conversation in his most polite 
manner. He liked to talk, and before long he was 
telling about the T. C. Circle and the meetings un- 
der the sycamore tree, and what Cousin Prue had 
said about flowers and weeds, to all of which Mr. 
Holland listened as if he found it interesting. 

“And what does T. C. stand for?” he asked, and 
Malcolm, forgetting it was a secret, told him. 

“ If you have any thinking caps to spare, I’d like 
to have one; mine seems to he wearing out,” the 
old gentleman remarked. 

Malcolm was gone so long Wyllis was sent to 
look for him, and was surprised to find him sitting 
in an armchair beside their former enemy, evidently 
on the best terms. So a neighborhood feud came to 
an end. 


CHAPTER EIGHTH. 


HOW THE THINKING CAPS HELPED. 

The summer days passed happily in Hill Top; 
the small savages who had formerly disturbed its 
peace were so busy about other matters they found 
little time for mischief. 

Of course it is not to be supposed that they had 
at once settled down into models of propriety under 
the influence of their thinking caps, but the weekly 
meetings at the sycamore tree and the new sense of 
responsibility for neighborhood affairs were having 
a most wholesome effect. Occasionally, however, 
they slipped back into the old thoughtless ways. 

One morning Mary Hyacinth and Susan were 
discovered giving Pranks a bath in the porcelain 
tub, and rubbing him with some of the best damask 
towels. 

“They were on top, and I was in a hurry. I 
don’t see what difference it makes, either; they will 
wash,” was Mary’s reply when Miss Mallory ex- 
claimed at her. 


HOW THE THINKING CAPS HELPED. 57 

“Then I suppose I may take your best embroi- 
dered handkerchief for a wash-rag if I choose,” said 
her cousin. 

“But that is different. Cousin Prue,” cried Mary 
indignantly. 

“It doesn’t seem so very different to me. We 
are supposed to be taking care of things in your 
mother’s absence, and do you honestly think she 
would like to have these pretty embroidered towels 
used on Pranks ? ” Cousin Prue sat on the edge of 
the tub and surveyed the culprits, who were very 
red in the face with their exertions. 

“Mary brought them, so I just used them,” said 
Susan easily. 

“Because Mary didn’t use her thinking cap were 
you excused from using yours ? ” 

“It is such a bother to think,” Mary exclaimed 
pettishly. 

“Oh, very well then, perhaps I’d better put the 
caps away,” Cousin Prue replied, leaving the room. 

Before the next afternoon when the Circle met 
the girls had forgotten all about this. 

“I can’t find my cap anywhere,” Mary Hyacinth 
exclaimed, kneeling beside the box in the hall 
where they were usually kept. 


58 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

“ Give me mine and Arthur’s, and hurry ; Cousin 
Prue and the kids have gone,” said Wyllis. 

“And please bring mine,” called Susan from the 
porch. 

The caps were each marked with the initials of 
the owner, so there was no difficulty in telling them 
apart; Mary handed out W, and A, and then bent 
over the box again. 

“Susan, I don’t see ours,” she said. 

“They must be there; do hurry.” 

“But they aren’t; you can look for yourself.” 

There could be no doubt about it, the caps were 
not in the box, and Susan suggested that perhaps 
the boys had taken them for fun. 

“If they have, it is just too mean,” Mary ex- 
claimed. “Let’s go tell Cousin Prue.” 

Away they ran bareheaded down the simny street 
and across the lot to the sycamore tree, where the 
others were already seated on the grass. 

“Cousin Prue, we can’t find our caps anywhere! 
Did you take them, Wyllis McLean? Because, if 

you did ” Mary paused, unable to think of a 

sufficiently strong threat. 

“We’ll turn you out of the Circle,” said Su- 


san. 


HOW THE THINKING CAPS HELPED. 59 

“I never even saw your old caps,” Wyllis cried 
indignantly. 

“ It isn’t fair to accuse a person without any rea- 
son. He hadn’t anything to do with it,” said 
Cousin Prue composedly. 

The girls looked at her in surprise as she con- 
tinued : “ I heard you say not long ago that think- 
ing caps were too much bother, so I simply took 
you at your word and put them away.” 

“Why, Cousin Prue!” they both exclaimed, “we 
didn’t really say that, did we ? ” 

“ Mary said it was too much bother to think, and 
Susan seemed to agree with her, and if that is the 
case the caps cease to mean anything.” 

The little girls looked so crestfallen that even the 
boys had not the heart to crow openly, though they 
nudged each other and smiled, and Miss Mallory 
hastened to add : “ It was in one sense a very little 
thing; you were not unkind, and you did not de- 
stroy anything, but if you forget to think in small 
matters — or find it too much trouble — how are you 
going to remember in larger ones ? ” 

“Never mind, Mary, I’ll lend you mine. It has 
an M on it,” said tender-hearted Malcolm in a 
loud whisper. 


60 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


Cousin Prue laughed: “That will not be neces- 
sary, for if Mary and Susan have changed their 
minds, of course they may have their caps again.” 

These little caps had come to stand for too much 
that was pleasant to be lightly given up, so Mary 
said: “I didn’t really mean it at all, Cousin Prue, 
and I’ll try to think next time ; won’t you, Susan ? ” 

“Yes, indeed; and another time I won’t do 
things just because you say so, Mary,” was her 
reply. 

Then Miss Mallory produced the missing caps. 
“ I was so sure you would think better of it that I 
brought them along,” she said. 

Next time it was the boys who fell into disgrace. 
Being very much interested in kite flying, in their 
cousin’s absence one day, Wyllis and Arthur got 
out of a third story window on the back roof, in 
order, as they expressed it, to get a better start, and 
they were of course followed by the little boys. 
Here the alarmed and astonished Miss Mallory dis- 
covered them when she stepped off the car at the 
station. 

This was so serious an offense that the older boys 
were not allowed to come to the next meeting of the 
Circle, and four caps were put away. 


HOW THE THINKING CAPS HELPED. 61 

Wyllis and Arthur considered this very severe 
punishment, for Cousin Prue was telling them a 
delightful story, a chapter each time, all out of her 
own head, but they were too thoroughly convinced 
of her fairness to rebel. She made it clear that 
they were partly responsible for the younger chil- 
dren, and as they had led them into danger they 
deserved the greater punishment. 

About this time the Thinking Caps found some 
special work to do. A severe storm swept over 
Hill Top one night, and the morning which dawned 
cool and clear showed trees and vines blown down, 
and serious washouts on the roads, and when the 
housekeepers undertook to order their marketing, 
it was found that the telephone wires were 
down. 

Before noon news came to Hill Top of a sad 
accident that had occurred only half a mile away. 
Two little children, who lived in a cabin on the hill- 
side, had started out early to pick blackberries, when 
the boy became entangled in one of the telephone 
wires, which had fallen across the wires of the elec- 
tric railway, sq that it was charged with the electric 
current. The child was severely shocked, and his 
sister, in her efforts to release him, had her hands 


62 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

terribly burned. They had been seen by a motor- 
man on one of the cars, wlm hurried down to the 
power house and had the current turned off. 

As soon as they heard of the accident Miss Janet 
and Miss Mallory went to inquire for the children 
and offer their assistance, and they were both 
touched by the sweet, patient face of little Annie. 

When she returned Miss Mallory called the chil- 
dren together, told them about the bare cabin with 
its few comforts, and the busy mother who had no 
time to spare from her laundry work, and asked if 
the Thinking Caps could not suggest something to 
be done for the little invalid. 

“Just now she is too ill to want to be amused, 
but the doctor thinks she will get well, though it 
will be a long time before she can use her poor 
brave little hands.” 

“ Can’t she use them a bit ? ” Susan asked, folding 
her arms tightly and trying to fancy how it would 
seem. 

“Why, she couldn’t play marbles, or croquet, or 
anything ; could she ? ” said Oscar much impressed. 

“I am afraid not,” said Cousin Prue smiling. 

“You could tell her stories; that would be the 
best thing. Perhaps she’d like the one about the 


HOW THE THINKING CAPS HELPED. 63 

bear getting burned with the porridge,” Malcolm 
suggested, making them all laugh. 

“ That is a baby story ! ” said Wyllis, adding : 
“ Why can’t we take her something to eat ? ” 

“And flowers; sick people like them,” put in 
Arthur sagely. 

Mary was thinking earnestly. “ I believe I’d like 
something pretty to look at that I could play with 
after I was well. Don’t you think she would like 
to have a doll? I’ll give her Alice.” 

Now this was generous of Mary, for Alice was a 
handsome doll with an extensive wardrobe. 

“ I doubt if anything would give her more pleas- 
ure. Alice could lie beside her and be company for 
her,” replied Miss Mallory. 

“And she may have some of my paper dolls,” 
added Susan. 

“Cousin Prue, if you would bind up our hands so 
we could see how it feels, maybe we could think 
better,” Mary suggested. 

So it happened that Professor Ellis coming up for 
a friendly call that afternoon was met by a puz- 
zling sight. On the McLeans’ lawn were six blue- 
capped individuals with their arms tightly bound to 
their breasts. 


64 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

“ What in the world! Have you all been in mis- 
chief, and is this the way Miss Mallory punishes 
you ? ” he exclaimed. 

“No, indeed!” cried Mary indignantly. “We 
are trying to see how inconvenient it is to do with- 
out hands, so we can think how to amuse a little 
burnt girl.” 

When he had heard the story, the professor was 
very much interested. 

“ One of the most important lessons we can learn, 
is to put ourselves in another’s place,” he said, “and 
to he able to do it marks one fundamental differ- 
ence between a civilized man and a savage.” 

When Annie was able to have visitors, Cousin 
Prue and one or two of the children went to see her 
almost daily. Mary and Susan took their dolls, 
and she never tired of seeing them dressed and un- 
dressed, and in the one Mary gave her for her very 
own, the little invalid’s delight was unbounded. 

Her visitors did not guess how much more inter- 
esting than any story book they themselves were 
to her. Their merry ways, and lively chatter, their 
dainty clothes — everything about them, in fact — 
charmed the little country girl. 

Though she enjoyed the toys, and picture books. 


HOW THE THINKING CAPS HELPED. 65 

and the nice things to eat sent by Miss Janet, it 
was a bright thought of Mary’s that brought her 
the most lasting pleasure. The McLeans had a 
large automatic swing, and one day Mary proposed 
lending it to Annie. 

“She could have pillows and be quite comfort- 
able, and one of her brothers could sit in the other 
side and swing her,” she said. 

“ It would be lovely for her, but I fear it is too 
large to be moved,” her cousin replied. 

Mary had thought it all out, however. “ It comes 
apart, and I know the grocery man will take it in 
his wagon, and Charles can put it up,” she said. 

So it was done, and Annie, curled upon the broad 
seat with pillows about her, was happier than many 
a little girl who was able to use her hands. 

“Cousin Prue,” Mary said, “I never thought be- 
fore how nice it is to have a room and things. 
Why there are only three rooms to Annie’s whole 
house, and one of those is a shed ! ” 

“ I know a little girl who is using her thinking 
cap to some purpose these days,” Cousin Prue an- 
swered with a smile. 


5 


CHAPTER NINTH. 


THE BACHELOR. 

It was as quiet as quiet could be in Hill Top one 
August morning, and Malcolm and Oscar playing 
marbles on the front walk were the only persons to 
be seen, when a man with a pack on his back came 
up the street from the direction of the Green lot. 

Miss Mallory had been called away for a day or 
two by the illness of her aunt, who lived in town ; 
Mary and Susan had gone with Miss Janet to see 
little Annie, and Professor Ellis had taken Wyllis 
and Arthur on an excursion up the river. This 
excursion had attracted a number of other people, 
among them the Gardners and old Mr. Holland and 
his wife, and, more than this, several houses were 
closed entirely, and their owners away on a summer 
trip. 

“Here comes a bachelor ,” Malcolm remarked, 
glancing up as he searched in the grass for a miss- 
ing marble. 


THE BACHELOR. 


67 


Of course, he meant a peddler, but it was a habit 
of his to get the meaning of words rather twisted. 
Peddlers were not uncommon in Hill Top, where 
they carried on a brisk trade with the servants, who 
found it more convenient to buy small articles from 
them than to take the long ride to town. 

“ I wonder what he has got ? ” said Oscar, who 
had often watched the opening of a pack. * 

“ Good-morning, little gentlemen ! Are the folks 
at home ? ” the man asked, resting his load on the 
horse block. 

“No; they’re all away but Lucinda and me,” was 
Malcolm’s reply. 

“Looks as if they might be away next door too,” 
continued the peddler, glancing around him. 

“ That is where my uncle lives, and he has gone 
to Europe with my father and mother,” Malcolm 
answered, always ready to give information. 

“Well, I guess I’ll go in and see Lucinda,” and 
the peddler shouldered his pack again, and started 
toward the kitchen, followed by the boys. 

Lucinda, however, was not in a good humor. 
“Don’t want nothin’,” she announced, standing on 
the back porch, and sweeping down cobwebs indus- 
triously. “ That gingham of yours ain’t no account ; 


68 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

I’se goin’ to town to do my buyin’ then she 
marched into the kitchen, banging the screen door 
behind her. Clearly it was of no use to waste 
time here. Without a word the peddler walked 
away. 

The children were disappointed. 

“Lucinda, give us something to eat,” Malcolm 
begged, going to the door. 

“Go Tong, you ain’t hungry,” was the discourag- 
ing reply, but, nevertheless, she appeared a moment 
later with half a dozen cookies apiece. 

“Now, you keep out of that peddler’s way; I 
’spicion him,” she said. 

The boys would have enjoyed following him 
around the neighborhood, but when they reached 
the front of the house, he was nowhere to be seen, 
so they carried their cookies to a favorite spot under 
some lilac bushes, that grew on the line between 
the Scotts’ and the Gardners’ grounds. Happening 
to look up, Oscar saw something that surprised him 
very much. It was the peddler’s head that, for one 
instant, appeared in a side window in the second 
story of the Gardners’ house. It was quickly with- 
drawn, but the child had recognized him. 

“Malcolm,” he whispered, “the peddler is up in 


THE BACHELOR. 


69 


Mrs. Gardner’s room ; I saw him peek out of the 
window just now ! ” 

“ I wonder what he is doing there ? They have all 
gone on the ’scursion,” said Malcolm, adding with 
very big eyes, “ Oscar, maybe he is a burglar ! ” 

“Oh, Malcolm! maybe he’ll kill us!” 

“Don’t you be afraid; I won’t let him hurt you,” 
Malcolm declared valiantly, “but let’s run,” and 
gathering up the remains of their cakes, away they 
scampered, and a moment later rushed in upon 
Lucinda in great excitement. 

“My land!” she exclaimed, “didn’t I tell you? 
’Course he’s a thief, and I reckon he’s done killed 
poor Katie, — she’s the only one at home. There 
ain’t a man on the hill,” she added despairingly, as 
she bolted the kitchen door. 

“While I am gone, remember whatever happens to 
put on your thinking caps, and do the best you 
can,” had been Cousin Prue’s parting words to the 
Circle, and Malcolm didn’t forget. If Cousin Prue 
were only here, she would know what to do, he was 
sure of that. She wouldn’t let that bad man kill 
poor Katie. Even Miss Janet might help, or Mary, 
or Wyllis, but he and Oscar were such little boys, 
and Lucinda could do nothing but wring her hands. 


70 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

V 

Malcolm clasped his own tightly over his eyes, and 
thought and thought. Suddenly he cried joyously : 
“Lucinda, we can telephone to Mr. Gardner.” 

“I don’t know nothin’ bout telephoning,” Lucinda 
declared. 

The children were not allowed to touch the tele- 
phone except on special occasions, but Malcolm had 
once or twice talked to his father in the city, and 
had seen other persons do it so often he was sure 
he knew how. 

“You just take the horn down, and hold it to 
your ear and say ‘ hello,’ and they answer back,” he 
explained. 

“No, they say hello,” corrected Oscar. 

It was impossible for any of the three to find Mr. 
Gardner’s number in the book, but Malcolm knew it 
was the big tobacco factory at the foot of the hill, 
so all he could do was to ask for that, standing on a 
chair with the receiver held tightly to his ear. 

Fortunately they were not busy at the exchange 
just then, and Mr. Gardner was called up without 
much delay. He happened to be in the office, and 
answered the ring himself. 

“Hello! what is it?” he asked. 

“ Mr. Gardner, is that you ? ” said a small voice. 


THE BACHELOR. 


71 


"Yes; who is this? ” 

“ I’m Malcolm ; and there’s a bachelor in your 
house, and we’re afraid he’s killed Katie, and every- 
body is away but Oscar and me. Please come as 
quick as you can.” 

Naturally Mr. Gardner was puzzled. He won- 
dered if it could be some mischief of those McLean 
children; but the anxious tone of the little voice 
didn’t sound like mischief. 

“All right, Malcolm; I don’t understand, but I’ll 
come up,” he answered, and calling to one of his 
clerks, they jumped on board a car that was starting 
up the hill. 

Two excited little boys met the gentlemen half 
way between the station and the house, for Lucin- 
da’s alarm had so affected them, they had been 
afraid to leave the kitchen door till they saw the car 
stop and Mr. Gardner step off. Fortunately Charles, 
the McLeans’ man, who had been sent to town on an 
errand, returned on the same car, so there were now 
three men to grapple with the bachelor, as Malcolm 
continued to call the peddler. 

In the mean time this is what had happened in 
the Gardners’ house. The only person there when 
the peddler arrived was Katie, an Irish girl, who 


72 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

was at work in the kitchen. The man showed his 
wares, and laughed and joked with her, finally ask- 
ing for something to eat, and when good-natured 
Katie stepped into the pantry, he quietly turned the 
key upon her. There she was held a prisoner with 
no chance of escape, for the only window was a 
small barred one. The peddler had then proceeded 
to ransack the house, replacing the worthless con- 
tents of his pack with everything of value he could 
carry away, opening locks with an ease that proved 
he was not new to the business. He had evidently 
counted upon a lengthy absence of the family and 
near neighbors, and if it had not been for that one 
glance from the window, when Oscar’s quick eyes 
had seen him, he would, no doubt, have easily made 
his escape with a great many valuables. As it was, 
he was taken entirely unawares, and secured with- 
out any trouble. 

Great was the excitement in Hill Top over this 
affair, and the little boys were the heroes of the 
hour. The other children looked upon them with 
admiration mixed with envy. Wyllis and Arthur 
felt that the burglar had taken an unfair advantage 
of their absence. 

Malcolm’s pride was a little hurt by the fun Mr. 


THE BACHELOR. 73 

Gardner made of his bachelor. It did not seem to 
him such a very bad mistake, “’Cause,” as he ex- 
plained to Cousin Prue, “a bachelor and a peddler 
are both men” 

“Yes, dear, and for all we know the peddler may 
be a bachelor,” she answered laughing. “So I 
wouldn’t mind Mr. Gardner, for you were a dear, 
thoughtful boy, and I am proud of you.” 

That Mr. Gardner was not lacking in appreciation 
was shown by two beautiful toy boats with masts, 
and sails, and everything first-class boats should 
have, that came up from the city one day to the 
boys who had helped catch the burglar. 

When Oscar had examined his thoroughly, he 
said : “ Mother, don’t you think a boy who could 
help catch a burglar is big enough not to wear 
curls ? ” 

The next day he went to town with his father, 
and when he came back, he carried the curls in a 

box. 


CHAPTER TENTH. 


THE NEIGHBORHOOD OPINION AGAIN. 

Summer days, particularly when they are full of 
happiness, have a trick of slipping by so swiftly that 
before you know it the trees are putting on their 
fall dress, and the flowers getting ready for their 
long nap. So it happened in Hill Top; the days 
grew shorter and cooler, but so gradually nobody 
thought about it, until there it was past the middle 
of September! 

One pleasant afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Brent stood 
on their front porch talking to Miss Gardner. On 
the other side of the street was an open field, bright 
with goldenrod and asters, and crossing this there 
presently appeared a merry party, Miss Mallory 
with the six children dancing and fluttering about 
her like gay butterflies. They all wore their blue 
caps, for they had been holding a meeting of the T. 
C. Circle, and Mary and Susan had on red jackets 
over their white dresses, and with their hands full 


THE NEIGHBORHOOD OPINION AGAIN. 75 

of flowers and bright leaves, they added a pretty bit 
of color to the landscape. 

“Just look!” said Mr. Brent. “What will they 
ever do without Prue ? ” 

Miss Mallory saw them and crossed over. 

“I was just thinking, Prudence, what a transfor- 
mation you have brought about in three months,” 
said Mrs. Brent, shaking hands. 

“ Yes ; and after all those dreadful stories we told 
you, you were very brave, I must say,” added Miss 
Gardner. 

“You are mistaken,” answered the young lady, sit- 
ting down on the step to arrange her flowers. “ I 
have done nothing but play with them and make a 
few suggestions. You remember I refused to be- 
lieve they were so naughty. All they needed was 
to learn to use their thinking caps.” 

“My baby is becoming positively strong minded,” 
sighed Mrs. Brent, as Oscar came flying over the 
street with his cap on the back of his cropped head. 

“It has been a delightful summer, and I’m sure 
real estate must have increased ten per cent, in value 
in Hill Top,” continued Miss Gardner. 

“The thinking caps have done some good work,” 
said Mr. Brent. “How is the child who was 


76 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

burned, Mary ? ” he asked as the others followed 
Oscar. 

“She is ever so much better,” was the answer. 
“We are going to see her now, when Cousin Prue is 
ready. ” 

An hour later this same merry party met old Mr. 
Holland out for a walk, and no one who saw the 
pleasant greetings exchanged, could have believed 
how he used to pound with his cane and call, “Keep 
away from me ” to these very children. The old 
gentleman joined Miss Mallory, saying: 

“I’m very sorry to hear you are going away ; we’ll 
miss you.” 

“Thank you. Yes, the travellers are coming to- 
morrow, and I shall not be needed any longer, but 
I hope to come back often to see my friends in Hill 
Top,” she replied. 

Mrs. Morris, who was now well enough to be out 
in her garden, came down the walk to meet them, 
exclaiming: “What lovely goldenrod! and how 
bright you all look! When do you expect your 
mother, Mary ? ” 

“They will be home to-morrow,” replied the little 
girl. “We gathered these for you, Mrs. Morris,” 
she added, handing her the flowers she carried. 


THE NEIGHBORHOOD OPINION AGAIN. 77 

“For me! How kind! I shall certainly tell your 
mother what dear thoughtful children you have been 
this summer, never once making a noise where 1 
could hear it.” 

Miss Mallory stopped to talk to Mrs. Morris, but 
the children walked on. “Mary,” whispered Susan, 
“don’t you think it is nice to have people like you, 
and say things like that ? ” 

“Yes, I believe I do,” was Mary’s reply. 

Before they reached home they met Professor 
Ellis, who found it convenient in these days to 
make a great many visits to Hill Top; and then a 
little farther on was Mr. Gardner superintending 
the transplanting of some shrubs. 

“Good evening!” the latter called. “Why, pro- 
fessor, is that you ? Don’t you know we don’t allow 
bachelors around here any more?” he continued, 
coming out to shake hands, laughing at his own 
joke. 

“It isn’t my fault, only my misfortune,” the pro- 
fessor answered, and Miss Mallory murmuring some- 
thing about the air being chilly hurried on. 

The next day the travellers arrived, and were 
received by five ecstatic children, who with Cousin 
Prue were waiting at the station. And what a de- 


Lof Ci 


78 HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 

light to see Mrs. McLean so bright and well again, 
and quite able to walk up to the house without as- 
sistance, though any one seeing her with a hand on 
Wyllis’s shoulder and her arm around Mary might 
have supposed she needed a good deal of sup- 
port. 

It was indeed a joy to have their fathers and 
mothers once more, but how could they give up 
Cousin Prue! The children seemed not to have 
realized she must go until she began to pack. 
In vain she reminded them that they would be 
too busy with lessons to miss her, and promised 
to come often to see them; they stood sorrow- 
fully around her trunk, and refused to be com- 
forted. 

It was the professor who brought smiles to their 
faces again. He had come up to escort Miss Mal- 
lory back to the city, and finding such mournful 
faces under the blue caps worn in honor of her de- 
parture, he told them a secret, which he first made 
them promise not to tell. 

“Children, I have bought a lot in Hill Top; where 
do you suppose it is ? ” 

“ Where ? ” they asked. 

“ What do you say to the Green lot ? ” 


THE NEIGHBORHOOD OPINION AGAIN. 79 

“Have you really?” they cried. 

“Yes; but that isn’t all. I’m going to build a 
house there.” 

“ But that will spoil it ! ” they cried. 

“ No, it will not, for the sycamore tree will then 
be in my front yard, and the T. C.s may meet there 
whenever they please; but that isn’t the best of it.” 
He paused with a mischievous smile, and Mary ex- 
claimed, “ Oh, do tell us ! ” 

“Well, Miss Mallory has promised to live in the 
house after it is built.” 

“Has she? Have you, Cousin Prue? ” they cried, 
as the young lady appeared. “ Have you promised 
to live in the professor’s house ? ” 

Miss Mallory laughed and looked a little embar- 
rassed, but acknowledged she had. 

This put a new face on things, for if Cousin Prue 
were really coming back to them again, they could 
stand saying good-by for a while. So after all it 
was a cheerful party which accompanied her to the 
car. 

“You are dear children,” she said, kissing them 
all around. “ I have had a delightful summer with 
you, and now, good-by, and don’t forget our motto.” 

Amid a great waving, and shouting, and kissing 


80 


HALF A DOZEN THINKING CAPS. 


of hands the car moved off. Cousin Prue and the 
professor stood on the back platform, and as they 
went around the curve, the last thing they saw was 
half a dozen thinking caps bobbing up and down by 
the roadside. 


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